Riveting machine



Feb. 23, 1932. A. u. KERNs RIVETING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1950.

INVENTOR.- Hdzlrz Zjferjas, B fl/ug l TORNEYS.

ltd

f ent invention, while capable Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-"ICEV lvly invention relates to riveting machines and more particularly to portable machines for applying rivets of ductile material to companion parts which it is desired to ]o1n together firmly.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a comparatively light and compact riveting machine capable of being operated by a single person and adapted both to clamp the parts to be riveted and to form the rivet with its heads firmly pressed against said parts.

f1 further object of'the invention is to provide in such a machine means for clamping the parts to be riveted, for rotating the forming die, for forcing the forming die into the unformed end of the rivet, and for holding the preformed end of the rivet against rotation.

@their objects and advantages of the invention 'will be apparent from the description hereinafter of an embodiment of the invention in a machine for riveting trolley wire clamps used on overhead electric supply lines. The riveting machine of my presof a variety of uses, is particularly suitable for riveting such clamps and may be carried with ease from one point to another and applied directly to the trolley wires.

@it the accompanying drawings:

lllig. l represents a side view, partly in section, of a riveting machine applied to trolley wire clamps.

ltl'ig. lll represents a cross-section of the saine, taken along the lines lll-1I of Fig. I.

Fig. 111 represents a cross-section of a modified form of forming die, having capacity for angular movement to conform with irregular surfaces; and,

llig. 1V represents the application of a milling cutter to the die holder in lieu of the usual forming die.

its shown in the drawings, the riveting machine comprises generally a yoke frame er stationary element 1 straddling the parts to be riveted, a clamping die 2 serving to engage the preformed head 3 at one end of the rivet 4land to firmly hold the parts 5 to be riveted in place, and a forming die 6 serving to expand the other end of the rivet 4.

The forming die 6, preferably made of hardened tool steel, is shown as having a spur center 7, adapted to lit within the end of the hollow rivet 4, and an arcuate depression 8 at the base of thespur center by which the ends of the rivet may be expanded or upset and firmly pressed against one of the parts 5 to be riveted together. The forming 60 die 6 is provided dwith a threaded projection 14 which engages ina similarly threaded opening 9 in the die holder 10.

A motor 11, such as an electric or compressed air motor, serves as the driving element for rotating the die holder 10. An eX- tension on the motor casing 12 is slidably held within a bracket 13 slotted at 15. By means of the bracket 13 which is rigidly attached to the yoke 1 by a bar 16, serving also as a handle 70 for the riveting machine, the motor 11 is held against bodily rotation about the yoke 1. The motor shaft 17 within the casing 12 terminates in a bevel gear 18 supported on ball bearings 19 at the end of a gear casing 20. Meshing 75 with the gear 18 is a bevel gear 21 splined by a key 22 to the driving spindle 23. The die holder 10 is provided w1th a square shank 24 tting within a slot in the driving' spindle 23, and at the end of the die holder 10, a washer 25 and nut 26 hold the die-holder Within the gear casing 20. A ball bearing 27 serves as the bearing for the spindle 23 withinthe gear casing 20.

It will thus be seen that the forming die is positively driven by the motor 11. To force the forming die into the end of the rivet, separate means are employed comprising in the instance shown a ratchet feed wrench 28 and a top screw 29. The threaded opening 30 in the yoke 1 and through a ball bearing 31 bears against a shoulder 32 on the die holder. Rotation of the top screw forces the die holder with its forming die towards or away from the rivet in an obvious manner. Movement of the top screw 29 within the threaded opening 30 of the yoke 1 not only causes the die holder 10 to move with respect to the head 47 of the yoke, but also carries the spindle 23, the gear cas- 10 top screw 29 engages a 90 i ing 20 and the motor casing 12 towards or awa from the yoke 1. Thus when the ratchet fee wrench 28 is operated to draw down the forming die to the limit of its downward movement, the extension on the outer end of the motor casing 12 moves transversely within the slotted bracket 13 to the op osite side of the slot 15 from the position whic is shown on the drawings, and as before stated the slotted bracket 13 serves to prevent bodily rotation of the motor casing about the axis of the driving spindle 23.

The wrench 28 is a common form of ratchet feed wrench having a ratchet wheel 33 keyed to the top screw 29 and a reversible pawl 34 en aging the ratchet wheel 33.

aving reference to the other end of the yoke 1 in which the clamping die is located, the apparatus shown for positioning the clamping die comprises generally a bottom screw 35, a piston 36, means for rotating the screw 35 and additional means for forcing the piston against the clamping die. The clampmg die 2 is provided with a slotted extension 49 and held against rotation `by means of a pin 37 passing through the yoke 1 and the slot 38 of the clamping die. Abutting against the clamping die extension 49 is the face of the piston 36 which is movable within the bottom screw 35. The bottom screw 35 in turn is provided with forked ends 39 between which a cam 40 with a handle 41 is inserted. The cam 40 is adapted to abut against the piston 36 and by means of the handle` 41 the cam is revolved to force the piston 36 and clamping die 2 gradually toward the parts to be clamped. Passlng through the cam 4() and the forked ends 39 of the bottom screw 35 is a cam shaft 42 having a cylindrical body portion andra squared end to which a ratchet 43 is applied. The ratchet 43 in turn engages a pawl 44 pivoted to one of the forked ends 39 of the bottom screw 35 and urged toward the ratchet by means of a spring 45 held by a spring holder 46.

It will be apparent that rotation of the handle 41 about the axis of the bottom screw 35 will turn the bottom screw 35 toward or away from the arts to be riveted and that by turnin the andle in a clockwise direction, the plston 36 together with the clamping die 2 will be forced toward the parts to be riveted. To effect a quick positioning of the clamping die 2 with respect to the parts to be riveted, the cam handle 41 is swung from a position approximately at a right angle to that shown in the drawings about the axis of the cam shaft 42, the curved surface of the cam 40 engaging the end of the piston 36 and forcing it with the clamping die 2 through the bottom screw 35.

By means of the handle 41 and the parts associated therewith, the objects to be clamped tother with the rivet inserted therein are st forced by the clamping die to the position shown in the drawings, in which t e objects to be riveted' are squeezed together between the head 47 of the yoke 1 and the clam ingdie 2. The clamping die 2 can be uic y moved to this position by rotation o the cam handle 41 about the cam shaft 42 through an angle of approximately 90. Subsequently the preformed head 3 of the rivet is forced firmly against the exterior surface of one of the parts to be riveted by rotation of the bottom screw accomplished by turning the handle 41 about the axis of the screw. The parts are then ready for the upsetting of the opposite end of the rivet. This is accomplished by first causing the forming die 6 to rotate or spin by starting the motor 11, and then forclng the forming die 6 into the end of the rivet by turning the ratchet feed wrench 28 which progresses the die holder 24 and the formin die 6 through the yoke 1 towards the end o the rivet.

In applying rivets to trolley wire clamps the riveting machine, which is obviously of a portable nature can be brought directly to the oint on the overhead trolle wires where t e clamps are to be riveted. single operator may perform the various operations, or rit may be found desirable for one operator to operate the motor 11 and ratchet feed wrench 28, and for another operator to manipulate the cam handle 41.

The machine may be used not only for the application of rivets, but also for the removal of rivets. To remove rivets, a milling cutter 48 such as shown in Fig. IV can be substituted for the forming die 6 and inserted within the die holder 24. By rotating the driving spindle 23 with the milling cutter 48 in the position shown and by manipulation of the cam handle 41, the milling cutter can be applied to the head of a rivet in an obvious manner to sever the rivet head from its body and thus enable the rivet to be easily removed;

A modified form of forming die is shown in Fig. III, in which a top screw 5,0 is shown provided with a socket 54 the top of which is partially spherical and a pin 51. The forming die 52 is pivoted on the pin 51 and has a partially spherical end 53 which engages in the complemental portion of the socket 54. Accordingly, the forming die 52 has capacity for angular movement to adjust itself to irregularities in the surface of the object to be riveted.

While I have described one form which the riveting machine of my invention may take, it will be apparent that the instrumentalities selected for performing the various functions of the machine may be considerably varied and that it is within the contemplation of this invention to ksubstitute other instrumentalities than those which are here shown and described for operating the clamping die and forming die.

ioo

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A riveting machine comprisin a stationary element adapted to straddle t e parts to be riveted, means thereon for clamping said parts together, said means including a die adapted to engage a preformed rivet head and to press said parts against the stationary element, an additional die for forming the other end of the rivet, a driving spindle for rotating said forming die, and means for forcing said forming die against the rivet.

2. A riveting machine comprising a stationary element, adapted to straddle the parts to be riveted, a clamping die movable in said stationary element but held against rotation, said clamping die adapted to engage a preformed rivet head and to press the parts to be riveted against the stationary element, an additional die for forming the other end of the rivet, a driving spindle for rotating said forming die, and means for forcing said forming die into the end of the rivet.

3. A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, means thereon for clamping the parts to be riveted, a die for forming the rivet, and a motor slidably supported on said yoke frame for spinning said forming die.

4. A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, means thereon for clamping the parts to be riveted, a die for forming the rivet, a motor for spinning said forming die, and a bracket attached to said yoke frame, said hracket adapted to serve as a means for preventing bodily rotation of the motor about the axis of the forming die as Well as a handle for the riveting machine.

A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, a clamping die adapted to engage a preformed head of a rivet, said die being slidable in one end of said frame and held against rotation, means for forcing and main taining said clamping die against the parts to be riveted, a forming die on said frame opposite said clamping die, means for rotating said forming die, and means for forcing said forming die against the unformed end of the rivet.

6. A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, a clamping` die adapted to engage a preformed head of a rivet, said die being slidahle in said frame and held against rotation. means for forcing and maintaining said clamping die against the parts to be riveted, said parts being pressed against the yoke frame. a forming die on said frame opposite said clamping die, a driving spindle for rotating said forming die, and means for forcing said forming die against the unformed end of the rivet to be expanded.

7. A rivetingy machine comprising -a stationary element adapted to straddle the parts to be riveted, a clamping die slidable in one end of said stationary element and held against rotation, means for quickly positioning said clamping die against the parts to be riveted, a screw associated with said means for gradually forcing the clamping die against said parts, and a forming die rotatable in the other end of said stationary element and adapted to expand the end of the rivet.

8. A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, a clamping die slidable in one end of said frame and serving to hold the preformed head of the rivet against rotation within the parts to be clamped, means for quickly positioning said clamping die a ainst the parts to be riveted, a screw associated with said means for gradually applying an additional force on the clamping die, rming die r0- tatable in the opposite end of said yoke frame, and means for forcing said formlng die into the end of the rivet be expanded.

9. A riveting machine comprising a yoke frame, a clamping die movable thereon and adapted to penetrate a preformed head of a hollow rivet and to hold the same against rotation, means for forcing and maintaining said clamping die against the parts to be riveted, a forming die on said frame op osite said clamping die, means for rotating said forming die, and additional means for forcing said forming die into the unformed end of the rivet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Altoona, Pennsylvania, this 19th day of July, 1930.

ADIN U. KERNS. 

